Just Months After Being Sentenced to 6 Years in Jail, the Most Senior Vatican Official Ever Convicted of Child Sex Abuse Might Be Set Free Tomorrow

August 21st, 2019 Jesus Christ ✝

The sexual abuse of children connected to high ranking Vatican officials is nothing new. The list of examples is long, and the topic could fill books that deal with pedophilia, torture, murder and ritualistic abuse.

“The jurors heard Pell sexually assaulted the two boys after Sunday solemn mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in the priest’s sacristy. Pell orally raped one of the boys during this incident and indecently assaulted both of them.

“Pell offended a second time against one of the boys one month later, when he grabbed the boy’s genitals in a church corridor, once more after Sunday solemn mass. He was convicted on four counts of an indecent act with a child under the age of 16 and one count of sexual penetration with a child under the age of 16.”

Pell appealed the court’s decision, and if he wins he could be set free. The decision is set to be announced tomorrow. The Senior Vatican official has been in custody in Melbourne since his sentencing to 6 years in prison earlier this year in March.

Pell’s appeal was heard in June before a full bench of the supreme court including the chief justice, Anne Ferguson, the president of the court of appeal, Chris Maxwell, and Mark Weinberg. Only two of the three judges needs to agree as to whether Pell’s conviction should be overturned. (source)